Essential oils are known for the distinct smells they bring to the room and delicious flavor they add to food. Apart from appealing to our senses, essential oils such as cinnamon oils are extremely effective healing agents that fight infections and keep your heart happy.
What Is Cinnamon Oil?
With its origins in South Asia, cinnamon essential oil is derived from the cinnamon plant through the process of steam distillation. There are two types of cinnamon — Chinese cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon.
Cinnamon oil has a prominent role in traditional medicine, especially in Ayurveda. The essential oil can be extracted from the leaves to make cinnamon leaf essential oil and barks of cinnamon to make cinnamon bark essential oil.
Chemical constituents of cinnamon oil include eugenol, eugenol acetate, cinnamyl acetate and cinnamaldehyde. The method used to extract this essential oil is steam distillation.
Cinnamon essential oil blends well with other oils and is often used in aromatherapy. It can be used along with lemon, geranium, cardamom, rosemary and lavender essential oil. When used in the right quantities, one can benefit from its various medicinal properties.
Uses of Cinnamon Oil
Cinnamon essential oil is also used in the following ways:
- In perfumes due to its wonderful fragrance
- As a mouth freshener and in chewing gums to remove bad breath
- As a natural birth control method
- As a decongestant to relieve symptoms of cold and cough
- In aromatherapy
- As a room freshener
- As a flavoring agent
- As an insect repellent
Cinnamon oil is known for its astringent, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-clotting and antimicrobial properties. Cinnamon oil is rich in fiber, calcium, iron and manganese.
Benefits of Cinnamon Oil
Its many health benefits include:
1. Controls diabetes
Cinnamon oil has the potential to control blood sugar. It is rich in a water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP, which reacts with insulin and regulates blood sugar levels.
2. Promotes quick healing
Cinnamon oil acts as a coagulant and facilitates the quick healing of wounds, working to prevent excess bleeding when applied topically.
3. Aids in digestion
A popular spice that is added to many foods, cinnamon not only adds a delicious and distinct flavor to the food but also helps in quick digestion.
The essential oil helps to remove acidity and eliminate gas from the stomach and intestines. It is also effective in treating diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence and nausea.
4. Improves blood circulation
Cinnamon oil contains blood thinning compounds that help improve circulation in the body and remove blood impurities. It ensures the oxygen supply to all cells in the body and increases metabolism.
5. Relieves pain
Cinnamon oil is considered to be one of the best remedies to relieve pain. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that help remove stiffness and pain from joints, and it is a highly recommended remedy for headaches and arthritis.
6. Boosts brain function
Cinnamon essential oil is a great tonic for the brain as it treats memory loss and reduces nervous tension. Cinnamon oil improves cognitive activities such as working memory, visual-motor response, recognition memory and attention span.
7. Treats infections
Since cinnamon oil contains antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and antiviral properties, it is extremely effective to treat both internal and external infections. It also helps treat bacterial infections and destroys germs in the gallbladder.
8. Prevents cardiovascular diseases
Rich in fiber and calcium, cinnamon oil protects the heart from cardiovascular diseases by helping to reduce blood pressure and prevent coronary heart diseases.
Side Effects of Cinnamon Oil
- Pregnant and nursing mothers are advised not to use cinnamon essential oil.
- Those who have sensitive skin are first advised to do a patch test before using this essential oil.
- People suffering from asthma and other respiratory infections are recommended not to use cinnamon essential oil as it can aggravate the condition.
